Certaine observations of both houses of Parliament. Concerning two letters, the one from the Lord Digby, to the Queenes Maiesty, the other from Mr. Thomas Eliot, at York, to the Lord Digby in Holland. Also a note of such armes, as were sent for by his Maiesty, out of Amsterdam, under his owne hand. Together with diverse passages of the Marquesse Harford, and M. Strowd, at the general assises in the county of Somerset.

Observations upon the ensuing LETTERS.

THe Lords and Commons have commanded these ensuing Letters and Notes to be Prin∣ted, The Copy of a Letter written by the Lord Digby to the Queene, the tenth of March last, of his owne hand-writing: An originall Letter written to the Lord Digby, by Master Thomas Elliot, from Yorke the 27. of May last, two notes of Armes, the one of which is partly His Majestie owne hand, both found among my Lord Digbies papers: In the Letter of the Lord Digby to the Queene, it may be observed, how he discovers his venemous heart to this Kingdome, in that malicious censure, that we area Countrey unworthy of her; unworthy indeed to be so often designed to ruine and de∣struction, to be undermined and circumvented by so many plots and devilish projects of Jesuites and Priests, and other the most factious and Malignant spirits i•• Christendome; by which we had been often ruired and destroyed, if God wonderfull Mer∣cy had not preserved us: And we call his divine Maj sty to wit∣nesse, that we have never done any thing agai••st the personal safety or Honor of her Majesty, onely we have desired to be se∣cured from such plots, from such mischievous Engines, that they might not have the favor of the Court, and such a power∣full influence, upon his Majesties Councells, as they have had to the extre••me hazard not onely of the Civill Libertie and Peace of the Kingdome; but of that which we hold much dearer then these, yea then the very being of this Nation, our Religion whereupon depends the honour of Almighty God and salva∣tion of our soules: Let this Lord, who was long amongst us, and knew the Grounds of our proceedings and most secret consul∣tations,

produce any thing (if he can) of undutifulnesse, or disrepect to her Majesty, exprest or intended by us.

Another discovery in the Letter is this, that this Lord con∣f••sse••h that he writ to his Majesty with the hardin sse which he thought his ••ff••ires a••d ••omplexion required, what this was may well be perceived in a Letter from himselfe to the Queen, h••r••to••o••e Prin••ed by our direction; his affaires in the judge∣••ent of this Lord requir d, ••••a•• he should withdraw himsel••e from his Parliament, betake him••elfe to some place of streng h, such was the Couns••ll he then ga••e him, an•• how w••ll it hath bin followed every ma•• may p rc ive, but what his Majesties complexion requir••d, that may seeme a g••e••ter misterie, and yet this may be c••ll••ct••d out of that Letter, that his M••jestie in the apprehens on of this Lord, was too ••nc i••able to an Ac∣commodation with his Parliament, which in a kind of sco••ne in that Letter is called the easie or the safe way, this com••lexi∣on so bes••eming a good Prince, requir••d such a hardy and vehe∣ment provocation to wrath and warre again••t his Subjects, as this L••rd presumed to expresse in that Letter, and besides his Tr••a••hery ••o the Kingd••me, we may herein observe a great de∣gree of i••s••lence and contempt towards ••his M••j••sty, that hee should da••e in a Letter to the Queen to tax his M••jesties com∣plexion, with so much as mi••dnesse towards his people, must ne••ds be requir••d such hardy and bold C••unsell.

I•• M••st••r Elliots Letter it may be first observed, that w••ilst his M j••sty contests with his Parliament for some qu••stionable Pr••r••gatives, concerning the Common-wealth, his owne ser∣va••ts doe re••lly deprive him of an undoubted Prerogative, of being the soveraigne disposer of favours and preferments in his owne Family, which this Gentleman doth expresse in that reso∣lution, never to have any place about his Maj••sty, but by the Q••eene, and may be further observed what these desperate C••unsells about the K ng are most affraid of, and what they thi••k most hurtfull to themselvs, that his M••jesty should be in••l ned to an accommodation with his people; by this they fear to be undone that is, to loose that prey, the estates of the Par∣liament-men, and other good Subjects, which they have alrea∣dy devoured in their owne fancies, and that they expect to bee p••eserved from this undoing by the Queenes interposing.

By these two n••tes may be observed, that at the time whilest so many Declarations were published in his Majesties Name, w••th so••emne Protestations of his Majesties Intentions of ray∣sing onely a Guard for his owne Person, all sorts of provision for an Army, were made beyond the Se••s, and this poor K••••g∣d••me d••signed to the misery and confusion of Warre, and under the disguise of defending the Protestant profession, an Army to be r••ysed in the Intention of these wicked Counsel∣lors, for the suppressing and destruction of the Protestant Reli∣gion.

Mr Elliots Letter to the Lord Digby.

My Lo••d,

YOu have ever been so willing to oblig••, that I cannot disp••ire of your favour in a businesse wherein I am much concerned; the King was pleased to imploy me ••o London to my Lord Kee∣per for the S••ales, which though after two houres consideration he refused, yet being resolved not to be denyed, my importunity at last prevailed, which service the King hath declared was so great, that he hath promised a reward equall to it; it may be the King expects I should move him for some place, which J shall not doe, being resolved never to have any but by the Queen, being already so In∣finitly obliged to her for her favours, that I confesse I would owe my be∣ing only to her; nor shall I ever value that life I hold, but as a dept, which I shall ever pay to her commands; the favour which I desire from your Lordship, is, that you will ingage the Queen•• to write to the King, that he would make me a Groom of his Bed-chamber, which since I know tis so absolutely in her power to doe, I shall never thinke of an other way, for which favour neither her Maiesty nor your Lordship shall ever find a more reall servant for our affaires they are now in so good a condition, that if we are not undone by harking to an Accomodation, there is nothing else can hurt us, which I feare the King is too much inclined to but I hope what he shall receive from the Queene, will make him so resolved, that nothing but a satisfaction equall to the in∣juries he hath receiv••d, will make him quit the advantage he now hath, which I doe not doubt will be the m••anes of bringing y••ur Lordship quickly hither, where you shall finde none more ready to obey your Commands,

Then your most faithfull and humble servant, Thomas Ellyot:

Yorke the 27. of May

The Lord DIOBIES Letter to the Queenes Maj sty.

Hague, March ••0. 1642.

Madam,

IT is the first Contentm••nt that I have been capable of this long time, That Your Majesty is safely arrived in HOLLAND, With∣drawne from a Countrey so unworthy of you.

I sh••uld have waited the first upon you, both to have rendred my duty according to my precedence of obligation above others, and to have enform••d your M••jestie the timeliest, of the state of this pl••ce, whither you are comming, both in point of affections and interests, but that th••re she about such reports that the Par∣liament hath desired your Majesty not to admit me to your pre∣sence, as I dare not presume into it without particular permission. The ground of their malevolence towards mee in this particular, i•• said to b••, upon some Letters, which they have presumed to o∣pen, directed unto your M••jesty from me, which I professe I can∣not apprehen••, for I am certaine, that I have not written to your Maiestie the least word that can be wrested to an ill sence, by my greatest enemies, having not so much as mentioned any businesse to your Majesty since I left E••gland. To the King I confesse I wrote once with that hardinesse which I thought hi•• affai••es and complexion ••e∣qu••red, but that letter was sent ••y so saf•• hands, an I cannot appre∣hend the miscarrying of it. However Mad••••, if my misfortune be so great, as that I must be deprived of the sole comfort of my li••e of waiting on Your Maiesty, and following your fortunes, I ••ese••ch you, let my doome be so signified unto mee, as that I may retire with the least shame, that well may be, to bewaile my unhappinesse, which yet will be supportable, if I may be but assured that in∣wardly that generous and Princely heart preserves me the place of

(Madam) Your Maiesties m••st faithfull and m st affectionate humble serva••••

True Newes out of Somerset-shire.

SIR,

I Thought good for the satisfaction of Friends in London to signifie that we have bin in the County of Somerset, full of Feare••: but the cloud (God bethanked, was soone blown over.

The Marquesse Harford ca••e on the 25 of Iuly, at the Assises to Bath; with ••ivers others to execute the Comission of Array, where met him dive••s of our Co••n y. The ••nd•••• hav ng recei••ed a Letter from His Ma∣jesty to forward the Commission, and to give it in cha••ge, but be decli∣ned that as also t••e C••mmands of the House, for declaring it Ill gall, so in his Charge he sayled betwixt wind and water, very po••i••iquely.

On Thursday following (having received little incouragement at B••••h) the Commissioners got to Wells, with the Cavaliers, in the interim a•• B••••h, the Constables of some 21 Hundreds Petitioned t••e Iudge to Declar•• his opinion concerning the Commission, which with some re∣luctancy, being soundly put to it, he concluded to be Illegall; and ac∣cording to a branch of the said Petition, he appointed the Vot••s oft H••••••e•• to be read in open Court, touching the s••id Commission.

On Fryday the Marquesse sent for the Sheriffe from his attendance on the Iudge to Wells to require his counsell and Assistance (being ioyned in commission with them (for the Array) who returned the Marquesse this Answer, that he had received commands from the Parliament not to joyne but further to suppresse such their proceedings, whose commands he was resolve•• to obey, and further sent him the Constables petition, with the Iudges answer, whi••h with the unanimous consent of the C ••••••y, to refuse (except some discontented Spirits) will coole their fu••th••r goi••g on t••erein divers of the Coun••y have petitioned h••m to de••art ••ut of their co••sts. And ••ne Ma••er Str••w•• a Gentleman of con∣•• a t fidel••ty to Ki••g a••d Parliament, who in execution of the Militia, and meeting with th•• Marquesse Hartford, in the execution of the A••¦••••y shewed such courage, with a few against his many Hors••, which the ••ou t ••y people, se••ing with admiration, got up their spirits, and so be∣sti••e•• themselv••s, th••t in short time, they had tre••••••••e the Marquesse pow r, wh••r••u••on he left the place: It was certaine, that if the Com∣mission had taken ••ff ct, the King would hav•• be••n shortly in our parts, and it was intended to ••he made the Aceldama, you may communicate this for Truth.

FINIS.